FRIENDS of a young Hinckley man who had a congenital heart defect have arranged a football match in his memory.

FRIENDS of a young Hinckley man who had a congenital heart defect have arranged a football match in his memory.

Ashley Davis, the son of Canon Brian Davis, Vicar of St Mary’s Hinckley, died in his sleep in May, aged just 29.

He was planning to get engaged to his long-term love Beckie Mills before his death.

Now his group of friends are planning to remember Ashley by doing something the passionate Liverpool supporter would definitely approve of - having a kickabout.

Canon Davis said: “I am very touched that Ashley’s friends have arranged this match. I was amazed to discover how many friends he had when he died. He had a remarkable gift for friendship.”

The game takes place on the old Hinckley Town pitch, next to the Greene King Stadium, on Leicester Road, on Saturday August 22 at 2pm. The teams will be made up of the old Dare football club, attached to Hinckley’s Methodist Church, and others.

Ashley died on May 18. The post mortem examination revealed that he died because of congestive cardiac failure, and congenital heart disease.

His funeral took place at St Mary’s Church on June 1, and was attended by a large congregation.

Ashley’s father, uncle and four of his friends carried his coffin.

His coffin was draped with a Liverpool flag, and his service ended with the Anfield anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone.

He is buried next to his mother, Sylvia, who died in 2007.

The match has been arranged to raise funds for the Ashley Davis Memorial Fund. More than £1,500 has already been donated, of which £500 has been given to Leicester Heart Link.

The rest will help to refurbish St Mary’s Coffee Bar, where Ashley was a regular customer.

Money given in memory of his mother is also being used for this purpose, and there will be a plaque commemorating them both.